George westinghouse



(No Model.) Y

G. WBSTINGHOUSE, Jr.

SYNCHRONIZING ELECTRIC GENERATORS.

No. 390,930. latented Oct. 9, 1888.

Swinnen/C00.

N. PETERS. Pnela-Llehcgnpmr, wnhinginn. b. Cy

Y UNITED STATES PATENT Carien.

GEORGE WIESTINGHCUSE, JR., OE PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY, OE SAME PLACE.

SYNCHRONIZING ELECTRIC GENERATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NoI 390,930, datei @ttc/be:

Application tiled December 11, ISST. Serial No. 259.572. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itk now n that I, Gnonen WnsTrNeHoUsE, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residingin Pittsburg, in the countyot Allegheny/,in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Synchronizing Electric Generators, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an organization of apparatus for maintaining in synchrouism alternate-currentelectricgenerators driven from the same or from different sources; and the object is to provide means for insuring that two or more machines normallytending to run at approximately the same speed, but subject to slight variations, shall remain in synchronism and deliver the same number of impulses per second when connected with a common circuit. Thus when several generators are driven by different engines, one or more of which tend to drive ahead of the others, there would be a constant tendency on the part of the corresponding generator to gain upon the others. This invention is designed to prevent such result from following.

In general terms, the invention consists in coupling the generators with their drivingshafts through friction,yielding,or other equivalent couplings which will allow the armature of either generator to more with reference to its driving-pulley or with reference to the shaft of tne engine, as may be required to maintain synchronism with the other generators. This may be accomplished in various ways, one of which will be illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan of an organization of apparatus adapted to carry out the invention and Fig. 2 illustrates certain details.

Referring to the figures, A represents an alternate-current generator, and A2 a second generator similar thereto. These are designed to be driven at approximately the same speed by engines B B2. The pulleys of the generators are coupled with their shafts a a2 in this instance through friction-pulleys or clutches, as shown at F and F2. In this instance the clutches each consist of wheels E, keyed to the shaft a or a2, and having a conical bearing` surface, as shown at e. rthis surface presses against the corresponding bearing-surface, f, upon the belt-wheel D, and the force with which this pressure is exerted may be determined by means of a coilspring, 7.x, and setnut, k', upon the shaft of the armature. By adjusting the set-nut the spring will be caused to force the clutch with greater or less press ure against the pulley and thereby bind it more or less firmly to the armature. The wheel D, it will be understood, is loosely mounted upon the armature-shaft, except for the pressure ot the clutch, as described.

Each ofthe machines A and A2 is constructed in the usual way.

It is well understood that when alternatecurrent generators delivering approximately the same number of impulses per minute are connected in multiple are to deliver currents in the same direction to a worlrcircuit, L and and If, for instance, they tend to remain in synchronism-that is to say, to deliver to the circuit the same number ot` impulses per second and at the same time; butif, for example, the normal speed of one ofthe driving-engines should be greater than that of another engine ofthe system, then there would be a constant tendency for the corresponding generator to gain upon the other; but the movement of the driving-wheels with reference to the armature, which is at all times allowed by reason ofthe frictioncouplings, renders it possible for the engines to move at slightly different speeds when necessary, while the armatures them selves continue to revolve at the same speed, and are therefore in unison.

It will be understood that various other methods may be adopted whereby the necessary movements between the parts maybe obtained as required, and whereby the different generators will accommodate themselves to the varying speeds on the part of their drivingengines and will continue to deliver currents to the work-circuit in unison with eaeh other.

In the drawings there is shown a work-circuit consist-ing of electric converters C, C2, and C3, having their primary coils connected in the circuit L L2 and their secondary coils closed through translating devices d tl', d'1 d, and d3 da.

IOT.)

l. The combination, with an electric circuit and two or more alternate-current electric generators delivering` currents to said circuit, of a source of power for driving the same and yielding mechanical connections between the source of power and said machines, whereb)T the armatures of the machines are allowed a vcontinuous relative movement in either direction with reference to the source of power, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with two or'more alternate-current electric generators and a circuit connnon to the same, of a source of power sedes@ for driving said generators, connections be tween said generators and the corresponding driving source, and interposed yielding connections whereby the armatures of the generators are allowed under predetermined amount of force to move with reference to the drivingshafts, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto suhscribed my name this 14th day of December, A. D. 1887.

GEO. VVESTINGHOUSE, JR..

Vitnesscs:

W. D. UPTEGRAFF, DANL. W. EDGnooMB. 

